Dear Editor:

Several years ago, when I first heard that the beloved Gus Pratt’s General Store in Southport had fallen into such disrepair that it was facing demolition, I knew something had to be done. Giselaine and I felt strongly that this special place overlooking beautiful Cozy Harbor, that served as a community gathering place for decades, was too important of a community asset to lose. As a way to give back to our friends and neighbors in Southport, we felt it was important to restore and save this treasure. The extensive renovations included moving and restoring the original barn, putting in a new pier with eight slips for local fishermen to use, and building a nice outdoor space with picnic tables for the enjoyment of the community. A public kayak and canoe launch was also made available. We’ve heard great feedback from our neighbors who truly enjoy everything this wonderful, outdoor space offers. Seeing families gathering together, ordering an ice cream, and sitting at one of the picnic tables by the water has been heart-warming. It reminds me of my visits to the area with my family when I was young and first fell in love with this beautiful place that I am now lucky enough to call home.

Oliver’s Restaurant has provided Southport residents a place to gather with friends and family. We are a family friendly restaurant where you can enjoy a nice meal in a beautiful setting. Since we first opened in 2012, we’ve had an incident-free, proven track record of responsible service of beer and wine. We’d like to expand our offerings to our customers and have applied for a liquor license. We can assure you that that we will continue with our history of responsible service. We take that responsibility very seriously. Our plan is to establish a three-drink limit per customer, we will not serve alcohol before 5 p.m. and service will end at the very reasonable time of 9 p.m. My hope is that Southport residents will approve our license.

Please vote on March 6 and kindly consider approving our license. The town meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. Thank you, in advance, for your consideration and support. We look forward to welcoming our friends and neighbors when we reopen in May.

Paul Coulombe

Southport